And it's been brought to my attention that people who have subscribed to my blog through Blogarithm are only getting emails for about 1 in 3 posts. I post almost every day, so if you haven't been getting daily notifications of new posts, you might want to sign up with Feedburner (there's a button to the right for that) or some other feed thingy. You can always go back and read previous posts by clicking on the desired month under the heading "Old Stuff" over on the right column.

Also, I've got some buttons over on the right column for some awards for which I've been nominated. If you're so inclined, you can vote for my blog in any/all of the categories.

Ahhh. The picture is soooo cute! About the banana??? in Lexi's backpack- wasn't she the child that had an open container of chocolate milk in there all day? My mom is now a regular reader of your blog too- ever since Brooklyn's tickle me video- adorable!

The family picture is gorgeous! Thanks for sharing. You look terrific in it as do all your kids and everyone looks so happy! Love reading your blog every day! Can't wait for the book to come out in August.

I love the pics from your camera. They ALL make perfect sense!!! (if you are a kid). The pic of you and the children is absolutely beautiful! I could not find one finger in a nose or someone else's nose or ear or eye...the baby looked like maybe she wanted to...but held on to self-control! They are all gorgeous, especially you! You will be proud of this one for a long, long time!

I remember the bookbags, ugh! I just took them out back, turned them inside out, and hosed them down (the bookbags, not the kids)!

Love those pictures! I am impressed you got all of them smiling at the same time. It is a fabulous picture! I always try bribing mine, and when that fails, I resort to threats. The thing is, it is usually the oldest one that is the problem...and I end up settling for half of them looking at the camera, and call it a success!

Wow, this was most entertaining! I LOVE the photo of the Snowmom and the babies!??! HOW ADORABLE!??! Have you ever put food colouring in spray bottles with some water and they can colour the snowmen and anything else that they make?? My kids enjoy that a lot!

I LOVE the one of you and the kids for the book. You guys all look incredible. It is a total miracle that everyone was smiling at once, eh?? LOL You look awesome! I can't believe you have had six kids. You keep on mentioning your weight and trying to eat healthier and I picture someone much larger than you are. I know how it is though, you are likely like me and just because we are not as slim and toned as we used to be (just by being young, we could eat anything we wanted and never exercise, right??) we feel all gross and overweight. Still, I think you are stunning and it is clear what an awesome mother you are. I just love your blog and am pleased to have heard about it:)

btw, I'm hosting another contest at Manic Mommy that doesn't involve blood in case any of your readers wanna stop by--FREE GREAT BOOKS BY SOME AMAZING NEW AUTHORS!

Share the author love, I always say!

Oh, and one other thing: I hope that like Lexi doesn't need glasses in the future and she isn't riding her bike home from school one day and crashes into the framed photograph in the garage and then has to assemble everyone together to get a retake of the photo because that would royally suck, don't you think? And then, what if she forgets to take off her new glasses in the retake and then Joe realizes it's not the original photograph? That would make for a really bad situation I wouldn't wish on anyone!

The picture of you and your kids turned out so well! They sure look a lot like you. I love the snowbabies! We have only had about a foot of snow all winter. Your kids are so creative, and the snow fort is cool too. Brooklyn is so cute, she reminds me of my little monkey, I recognize that cheeky look in her eyes!

That's a gorgeous photo of you and your children... I'm amazed the photographer mananaged to get everyone to not only look at the camera but also to smile at once!

I'm amazed at how much snow you have! If we get an inch of snow the whole country comes to a standstill! Do you get that much every year? (Please forgive my ignorance I come from UK)! Fab snowmum & babies!

I absolutely love, love, love the family photo! And Brooklyn looks soooo cute! (I should know, I live in Brooklyn) Also a question for you since you brought up the makeup issue, though in different context. How often do you wear it?

I think it's a lovely portrait - everyone is looking in the correct direction and everyone looks happy! Well done! I love the snowmummy and babies too - those babies are slightly bigger than the one snowman we ever had enough snow to build.

I have to agree with the others..that IS a really terrific family foto..AND..everyone is dressed in WHITE. The Picture I was waiting to see was the one you took 5 minutes AFTER you got back home...I want to see what those WHITE shirts look like NOW!! Did you mention that your book from GUIDEPOSTS is available in AUGUST?Do you have a link to PRE-PURCHASE(Maybe the first 50 buyers can get a special autograph?hint hint!

I always get a chuckle out of the pics that you share, although I have to admit to being a little grossed out by Lexi's backpack. Don't think I would want to think about that one as I was cleaning it!! The family picture is lovely. It turned out absolutely fantastic!!! Melissa K

Great picture!! Love it...precious family... BUT...the makeup...ugh...I personally think from experience that is one of the harder things to get off...you start wiping and cleaning and it's like it just grows...good luck with that one! Lauren

I was just saying over at another blog that there are a LOT of things I miss about Chicago, but all that snow isn't one of them. We get snow here in NYC but not nearly as much, and it generally doesn't get as cold here either, because we're completely surrounded by water (and no lake-effect snow to deal with).

Uh, when you described the picture taking experience I was really looking forward to at least one kid crossing their eyes or something, but it turned out beautifully. Oh and I don't need a Blogarithm thingie because stopping by your blog has become like checking my own email. I have it bookmarked and come by everyday, just to see.

I think it's incredible that all your shirts stayed white long enough to take the picture!! I've seen photos of you before but never one this good, you are truely a beautiful person, and it is VERY obvious from this photo that you are a great Mom. Don't ever let anyone say otherwise. :)

Your toilet and sink are a lovely shade of creamy natural, the snowbabies are adorable, hey, at least your kid left SOME of the Skinny Cow for you, mine eat them all! And last but not least, the picture is beautiful!

Wow that's a great picture of you and the kids. As a person that used to take professional photos for a living I know how hard it can be to take pictures of kids, especially groups of kids. There's almost always a couple looking the wrong way or something else silly going on but this is a great picture of you guys. I'm impressed. May I ask where you had them taken?

Hey Dawn,Living on Vancouver Island, BC, Canada, we don't get much snow, so I really like the creative snow stuff your kids have done - Hot mama and cute snowbabes! Sorry to say, I keep hoping for a snow day - work for the school district and get paid to stay home if they close!! (and only two teenagers, three dogs and two cats at home).Fabulous picture of you and the kids - love it!

LOL! Great job on keeping everyone's WHITE shirts WHITE for the photo! That never happens around here... You all look great, and I have to agree with an earlier commentor... You look at least a decade under your age! If that's what having six kids does, I might have a few more!! BTW, is Brooklyn tickling herself again in the photo?? How cute!! Thanks for sharing! : )

I loveeeeeeee the family picture!!! Yall did a great job. I am also one of the people not getting my notifications..Its driving me insane if I dont get to read daily..lol So I will check out the feeder thingy

Those pictures are too funny!And my working friends say to me, "what do you do all day? don't you get bored?" I should send them the link to your blog....actually they already read it b/c I have made them BISS junkies! :)

Kids did an AWESOME job on the snowman and snowbabies, even if it involved the car jack! :)

Also, LOVE the family picture! It turned out really well, and I love how Brooklyn looks like she's tempted to tickle herself. ;)

and forgot to comment earlier, but the kids did a great job on the fort, too...my husband was really impressed, trying to figure out how they created the brick until I told him about the brick maker for snow and sand. You'd think growing up in South Bend he'd be aware of the brick-maker!

The family picture is wonderful. Just curious, exactly how long did it take to get that beautiful shot?? Kudos for no nose-picking, bunny-ears, "I'm grumpy because we've been here FOREVER" shots!! Your kids are precious! : )

That is such a great picture! Quick question, I noticed that your middle daughter isn't wearing her glasses - I only notice this because my 5-year-old has recently begun to wear glasses (September '07), but school pictures had passed. Do you give her the choice about pictures with or without glasses? I also am open to any tips for active children & glasses - Morgan doesn't complain about wearing hers (I think because they have made such an improvement!), but she is a VERY active child so we have lots of wear and tear on the glasses!

Pictures 1 & 2 yes, the fixtures do look better with a little makeup, evens out their skin tone.#3, looks he's been working hard on those biceps!#4 & 5 Yes, I do like your hat, I do, I do, I do like your hat!#6 wouldn't want to come across her in a dark alley, Scare-Y!#7 Is the guilty party, I mena Clay on a diet, why does he need a Skinny cow?#8 & 9 GRROOSS!#9 & 10, where's the daddy?#11 Again, where's the Daddy! You guys are adorable, what't the big deal about getting one more person to smile. Although you look like you are about to fall off a stool.Hee hee

I am in love with your children AND their snowbabies! They're all melting my heart. And of course I am marveling at how you can look so great with six children doing...what's depicted in the prior photos. :) Thanks for sharing them!

Oh .... almost forgot. I wanted to vote for you for all the 'Bloggers Awards', but I have learned the hard way not to give out my email to any site that does not swear on a bible they do not give/sell your addy to other parties.

So, To Whom it May Concern:

I vote for the blog "Because I Said So" in every Bloggers Award category.

Dawn,The photo of you and the kids is fantastic! I think it captures all of you! I know you said it was tough getting everyone to look at the same time, etc., but that pic is worth it! What a treasure!

Your family picture turned out BEAUTIFULLY! I love that you all wore white shirts. Everyone is gorgeous and I love the funny face Brooklyn is making. Aren't little girls that age just crazy? My 1 1/2 year old is the same way. Silly faces and acting strange all the time. Thanks for making me smile every single day Dawn! I love your blog.

those photos are fabulous, I love the protrait and the white t-shirts, they always make excellent picture.Your kids are so creative(no sarcasm intended) with the creative way they build things with snow.

HA ha! Love every single one (oh, except that backpack one - gave me flashes of what I have in store!) The family photo is nothing short of miraculous. I have 2 fewer children than you and can barely get half of them to look at the camera, let alone SMILE at the same time!My oldest (4) just discovered he can open the freezer. I now come down most mornings to melted "milk cookies" (Skinny cows - I have no idea why he started calling them milk cookies) littered throughout the house. Not a fun mess to clean up.

I love the half-eaten ice cream sandwich!I was making cookies one day and my 3 year old asked if he could have one. I told he could have one but had to wait until his older brother got home from school to have another. Well, I was busy doing laundry and puting it away, but I kept seeing him run back and forth past the laundry room door. When I came out to see what he was up to, I noticed that just about all the cookies cooling on the counter had one bite taken out of them. My husband was kind enough to remind me that I had told him he could not have another whole cookie! I never said anything about not eating one bit our of each cookie! Well, maybe I would have if I had thought I needed too!

The snowbabies are so cute!! I love how your picture with the kids turned out!! They all look so innocent and sweet there. Not that they are not, but compaired to the other photos we saw first!! :) Never a dull moment. I have a Clayton that is very mishivious too!!

I'm confused about the blog vote thing. Is it already over? Some of the ones who won are "OK", some not so good, and some I declare are written by lunatics. None of them are as down to earth, creative, funny, touching, and entertaining as yours Dawn.

I LOVE THE PHOTO--what a beautiful family! :) Thanks for making me smile, needed it after reading bad news Ethan Powell got today (baby with leukemia) and also another post I had read. You are always able to make me smile and I appreciate it. Hope you have a good night and a good Sunday. Thanks again for the joy! :)

And thank you for bringing back memories of when my own kids were little. You know, the things they do when they're little you get to embarrass them by telling stories on them with when they're teenagers. Once they hit their 20's, then they start to want to know what they were like when they were little. My four are 19-25 now.